The present invention relates to a detergent-impregnated article and more particularly to a detergent-impregnated article which wipes off dirt easily, leaves no streaks after being wiped dry, and makes the cleaned surface stain-resistant. In addition, the present invention relates to a detergent-impregnated article in which solid detergent particles are maintained in a stable dispersed state in the base body thereof without localizing, settling or floating even after long-term storage.
A hard surface, such as glass or a motorcar body, is usually cleaned by applying a liquid detergent containing a surface active agent, an alkali, etc. to the surface by spraying and the like, wiping off the applied detergent with wet cloth, and giving another wipe with dry cloth (hereinafter sometimes referred to as dry wiping). This cleaning method is very tedious because the detergent, dust components, loose fluff of the cloth, etc. tend to stick to the surface after a first dry wiping as streaks so that additional wipes with a dry cloth must be done.
Concerning liquid detergents impregnated into a base sheet, techniques of adding water-insoluble solid particles (e.g., abrasive particles) for enhancing detergency or adding an opacifying agent (e.g., a synthetic resin emulsion) for imparting viscosity are known. It is a generally followed practice to thicken a solid-disperse liquid detergent so as to stabilize the dispersibility of the solid particles and to retain a uniform disperse phase. However, a detergent must have a very high viscosity before solid particles having a large specific gravity or a relatively large particle size can be dispersed therein. Such a highly viscous detergent is difficult to impregnate into a base sheet or to release from a base sheet to the surface on which the impregnated article is, applied. Even though the detergent can be supplied to a hard surface, it has poor spreadability on the surface or needs additional time and labor to be wiped away, which deteriorates the cleaning efficiency.
If the viscosity of the detergent is low, the solid particles localize, settle or float in the base body when stored for a long time. It follows that the solid particles are not supplied in adequate amounts to a surface to be cleaned, or there is an imbalance of cleaning performance between the face and the back of the base.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a detergent-impregnated article with which dirt can be removed by giving a light wipe and which leaves no streaks after wiping.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a detergent-impregnated article which imparts stain resistance to the surface cleaned therewith.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a detergent-impregnated article with which dirt can easily be wiped away from a large area.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a detergent-impregnated article in which solid particles are stably dispersed in the base body without localizing, settling or floating even when stored for a prolonged time.
As a result of an extensive study, the inventors of the present invention have found that the above objects are accomplished by a detergent-impregnated article comprising a base body and a detergent impregnated in the base body, with the detergent comprising specific components.
The present invention has been completed based on the above finding. The present invention has achieved the above objects and is directed to a detergent-impregnated article comprising a base body and a detergent impregnated in the body, the detergent comprising solid abrasive particles and a protective layer-forming component, and the solid abrasive particles consisting of organic polymer particles and/or inorganic particles.
The present invention is also directed to a detergent-impregnated article for cleaning a hard surface comprising a base body and a detergent impregnated in the body, which provides a static friction coefficient of 0.1 to 1.0 to the surface of a flat and transparent soda-lime glass plate after the detergent-impregnated article is applied to the surface to supply the detergent thereto and then dirt and the detergent are wiped off the surface with a wiping sheet.
The present invention is also directed to a method for cleaning a hard surface comprising the steps of:
wiping a hard surface to be cleaned with a detergent-impregnated article comprising a base body and a detergent impregnated in the base body to apply the detergent to the hard surface and to release dirt from the hard surface, the detergent comprising solid abrasive particles and a protective layer-forming component, and then
wiping the hard surface with a wiping sheet to remove the dirt and the detergent and to form a stain-resistant protective layer on the surface.